#XperienceTravelTheTaylorWay
Here comes the bride, and here comes the stress. Yes, unfortunately, the pressure that comes with wedding planning can take away from the magic of your engagement. This is why we consider ourselves so fortunate to have Andreea Denes, Catering Sales Manager, easing wedding stresses at Loews Philadelphia.
Andreea has a fascinating background that contributes to her 10+ years of wedding planning expertise. She was born and raised in Romania and spent time living in France. With this international experience, she has a well-versed understanding of wedding traditions. Andreea and her husband celebrated two weddings themselves: one in Mexico and another in Romania.
Let’s hear some advice from the expert herself, and from some happy newlyweds who had the pleasure of working with Andreea.
Andreea (center) with bride and groom, Kristen and Pat. Photo by Duca Studio.
Table of Contents
Wedding planning is stressful. What is the most important piece of advice you can give to a bride to reduce stress factors?
Trust the professionals. Weddings can bring a lot of pressure, especially because of differences in opinions of family members. However, once decisions have been made and the wedding venue and vendors were hired, have confidence that you are in expert hands and everything will go well. This way, you can simply enjoy the day!
What was the most common wedding trend when you started your career? What is the most common trend now?
When I started my career, we first started to see the rustic theme coming back. It looks like this held a place for a long time but it is fading nowadays. One of my favorite trends today is the late-night station, which has been there for a couple of years but is still popular today. Here at Loews Philadelphia, our couples enjoy offering their guests a Philly Soft Pretzel Fondue Display, a local favorite.
Photo by Lauren Allmond Photography.
What are some unique, Philly-themed personal touches that couples have included in their weddings?
Our food and beverage options include some unique Philadelphia favorites: Philly Water Ice Martinis as signature drinks, a wedding cake depicting the Philadelphia Skyline, or Philly Cheesesteak Crostini. I liked when a couple hired a painter to depict the wedding ceremony that took place on the 33rd floor with the center city skyline in the background.
Tell me one of your most memorable experiences of how you “wowed” a bride a Loews Philadelphia.
My brides are usually impressed when you show them that you genuinely care. We tend to focus on the big picture of the event; however, the smallest details matter. I heard more than once the phrase: “Our wedding was the most important day of our life and you played a big part.” I am blessed to know that I can have such a special place in our clients’ memories. There have been many “wow” experiences. However, sometimes people remember the smallest and seemingly insignificant detail. To answer your question, I managed once to wow a bride this way: for a Hindu ceremony, she had to take her shoes off. As she exited the ceremony room she was barefoot, but I had a pair of slippers ready for her so that she could be more comfortable walking.
Let’s hear from our couples…
Nik and Rob’s Wedding. Photo by Lauren Allmond Photography.
“True Philly weddings mean having something unique to the City of Brotherly Love, and that’s what Loews Philadelphia offers thanks to its home, the iconic PSFS Building. The converted bank building has so much history, from being the former home to the first savings bank in America, to its preserved entrance, lock boxes and vault, to the glowing red PSFS sign that stands out like a beacon in the Philadelphia skyline, this building is a landmark, literally! On top of that, the spaces available for entertaining and the service associated with them were perfect. They were even able to include Philly cheesesteaks at brunch! Loews, and our liaison Andreea, provided a true Philadelphia experience to our 130 guests, all of whom have raved since our celebration on November 5, 2016.” —Nik & Rob
Padma and Jojo’s Wedding. Photos by JPG Photography.
“The best advice I can give brides for stress-free wedding planning is to keep things in perspective. There were times it was easy to get caught up in the details of coordinating vendors and picking floral arrangements. In those moments my now husband was so good at reminding me why we were doing it all in the first place – to get married. At the end of the day, few people are going to remember your color scheme or what your centerpieces looked like; they are going to remember the happiness you and your partner shared on your wedding day.
I think that advice extends to the actual wedding day as well. Things are bound to veer off plan. Take it all in stride because at the end of the day you are marrying your favorite person!” —Padma & Jojo
The post Wedding Talk: Insight from a Philadelphia Wedding Expert appeared first on Loews Hotel #WishYouWereHere.
from Loews Hotel #WishYouWereHere http://ift.tt/2traU4p Visit Taylor & Co. Travel’s AllInclusive website at http://ift.tt/2ndHCGE for all your travel, wedding & accessory needs, and to book your Loews Hotel Xperience or Destination Wedding, our favorite is the Don Cesar in St. Pete Beach Florida!!!
via IFTTT